Becoming a better hitter is certainly an object of every baseball and softball player. Similarly, nearly all players in such sports typically find it advantageous to warm up prior to each game. Still further, most players seek to take a number of practice swings immediately prior to a given at bat to refresh muscle memory, to warm up, and, possibly, to quell any nerves that might interfere with proper batting.
Unfortunately, even during practice sessions, it is often difficult for a batter to get as much practice as he or she might desire or, indeed, require. With this, a hitter may be deprived of the practice needed to become truly proficient. Although pitching machine have been disclosed that may be useful tools for enabling a hitter to get more of the practice that is essential to developing a proper hitting technique, like an actual human pitcher, use of such machines or a human pitcher require not only the batting practice pitcher or the pitching machine, but they also require an open field and persons to shag the batted balls. These requirements render such practice methods problematic for an individual user and particularly impracticable for a batter while a game is underway. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it is desirable to provide a means for a ball player to practice to practice batting in a limited space without interfering with non-practice areas and without requiring the retrieval of a ball with each practice swing.
Advantageously, as one knowledgeable in the art will be aware, a number of inventors have sought to provide batting practice devices that meet the aforementioned needs of ball players. These devices are of undisputed utility, and they have undeniably improved batters' abilities by allowing extended, individual practice sessions. They have also enabled unobtrusive opportunities for a batter to warm up prior to a game or a given at bat.
Unfortunately, though, the devices of the prior art suffer from a number of disadvantages that together make clear that there remains a need in the art for an improved batting practice device. For example, many batting practice devices of the prior art are complex in construction whereby they are susceptible to malfunction and breakage and are relatively expensive and difficult in manufacture, installation, and repair. By way of example, many prior art batting practice devices provide a target member for being struck that is retained at a first end of a tether that, in turn, is retained by its second end by a retaining structure. In these devices, the tether can become entangled, a swiveling structure can become worn or broken, the swinging target member can strike the user or an observer, and the tether can break thereby creating danger, expense, and delay. Furthermore, many prior art devices require tools and demand a significant expenditure of time and effort for their installation. With this, use of the devices can be delayed and even discouraged.
With these things in mind, it becomes clear that a batting practice device that overcomes the deficiencies of its predecessors while providing a number of heretofore unrealized advantages thereover would represent a marked advance in the art.